Guideway for cards and the like



'P. A. GOLLNICK GUIDEWAY FOR CARDS AND THE LIKE Aug 10 1926.

Filed Oct. 22, 1924 2 Shee ts-Shaot 1 Inventor.

Aug. 10 19.26. 1,595,774

P. A. GOLLNICK euwswu FOR CARDS AND was LIKE Fi led Oct. 22. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m I m wabvm H0 n 178 20 Q 19 20 Invemor.

W "jZ (%W/ Patented Aug. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT "QFFICE.

PAUL A. G'OLLNICK, OF "CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGN'OR "IO SPIEGEL, MAY, "STERN 'CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPOBATION OF ILLINOIS.

GUIDEWAY FOR CARDS ANI) T-HELIKE.

Application filed Qctober 22,1924. Serial No. 745,115.

This invention relates to improved means for guiding cards, stencils and the like along a definite path. The improved guideway is particularly adapted for use in addressing machines wherein impressions are made from stencils which are automatically driven through a predetermined path to a printing position adjacent'an inking roller which is controlled by a selector mechanism arranged to coact with the stencils.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of guideway adapted to accommodate cards of various Widths; to provide an addressing, tabulat- ..ing and recording machine or the like having improved means for accurately guiding stencils and index cards along a definite path; to provide an improved form or" guideway for addressing, tabulating and recordwing machines and the like adapted to accommodat-e cards and stencils 01": varioussizes and to secure both stencils and cards against any lateral shifting or variation from the fixed path along which they are moved; "to provide a device of this kind having an improved form and arrangement;v

of resilient elements for urging the stencils and :cards against one rail of the guideway;

and to provide an improved mounting for the resilient elements whereby a broken elemen't may be readily removed and replaced without disturbing the positions of the other elements.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying draw- :Figure 1 is a plan of the improved guideway, partly broken away for the sake "of 'oleanness, andshowing also part of the horizontal supporting table of an addressing "machine;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the guideway showing also part of a selector mechanisin "and hopper. I

Figs. 3 and d are details in elevation of nn ind'ex card aiidvstencil respectively.

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the nosition of the bow spring at the middle 6r its rocking movement.

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing theposition of the bow spring at the end of its rocking movement.

The common form of addressing machine to which this invention may be applied, comprises a horizontal .guideway along which the stencils are moved to a printing position beneath an inking roller, which is controlled in its operation by a selector mechanism arranged'directlyabove a portion of the guideway. The selector mechanism coacts with the stencils for controlling one or more electric circuits, which operate the printing. roller and certain other parts of the machine. The stencils and index cards are usually stacked together in the hopper of the addressing machine, i'rom which they are fed by gravity to the guideway. Heretofore the stencils and index cards have been of similar size, and, therefore, it has been necessary to recess the stencils along the upper edges thereof so as to provide openings through which the indexes have been visible when the stencils are filed vertically.

In the specific construction herein shown, the present invention contemplates the use of index cards of greater height than the stencil so that the indexes are visible above the stencils. Inasmuch as the present inven tion relates particularly to the guideway, only that part of an addressing machine which is believed necessary to a complete understanding of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the form shown, the addressing machine to which this invention is applied comprises a stationary frame 1, having a horizontal table 2, on which is mounted an up right :hopper 3, from which stencils 4 and index cards '5 "are automatically fed in a step by step movement along an improved 'guideway 6. Suitable feeding mechanism, not shown, is arranged adjacent the hopper 3 formoving the stencils alongthe' guidewayc to the printing mechanism, which is controlled by a selector mechanism 7. The

pr nting rollerand other parts of the machine controlled by the selector mechanism are not shown in the drawings.

The stencils i may be of the common form comprising a thin membrane, 8, wherein the characters are out, and which'is mounted in a rectangular card-board frame 9. Formed in the stencil frame 9, are oneor more J. 'Ioolan, Serial No. 718,087, filed June 5,

192%, relating to selector mechanisms for addressing machines.

The index cards 5 may be of card-board or other suitable stiif material, having each a body portion of substantially the same size as the stencils 41, and having a top portion 12 at the upper edge thereof which projects above the stencils 1 when the stencils and cards are filed vertically in the usual trays l or drawers, so that the indexes are visible above the stencils. A convenient ,form of index card is shown in Fig. r

In the specific form herein shown, the 1m- "provedguideway 6 comprises a pair of rails 13 and 14, mounted on the horizontal table a, and disposed in substantially parallel "spaced relation. The back rail 13 may be in one piece, which is recessed along its in- :ner edge to form alongitudinally extending groove 15 for receiving the rear edges of the stencils and cards.

preferably comprises two plates 16, which The front rail 14;

are spaced apart'vertically to form'a guidewaybetween them for receiving the forward edges of the stencils and cards. Formed in the rails 13 and 14. adjacent the inner edges thereof, are apertures 6.1 arranged to -l8-' ceive the selector pins 11 for guiding them into the apertures 10 of the stencils.

' In addressing machines it is essential that the stencils be moved along a definite path without any VELI'liLl'ilOIl therefrom, so as to permit the selector pins 11 to accurately coact with the apertures 10 of the stencils. In the device herein shown, the stencils and- 7 cards are secured against lateral shifting or any variation from their true path by means of a plurality of resilient elements 17, located between the guide plates 16 of the rail 14, and which are arranged to urge the stencils and cards against the rear guide rail 18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

In the specific form herein shown, the

resilient elements 17 comprise bow springs having the bights thereof projecting inwardly into position to engage the forward edges of the stencils 4: and cards 5. The

' and 9.

ends of the springs 17 are curved so as to partially embrace pins 18, which are mounted in the guide plates 16 adjacent the outer edgethereof. The pins 18 form fulcrums around which the bow springs are adapted to rock under the'action of cards passing through the guideway as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10. hen the forward part of a card engages the bow spring, as shown in l ig. 8, the outer end or the spring is forced awa" from its pin 18, and as the card rides along the spring the looped end thereof is forced outwardly while the outerend again moves into engagement with the adjacent pin 18. This improved rocking motion of the springs tends to prevent anabruptbending of the spring at any one point and thus lengthens the life of the springs. The springs 17 are locked to the rail 14. by removable pins or screws 19, mounted on the plates 16 and extending through the. bight of each spring, as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 With this improved construction, any of the springs 17 may be readily withdrawn and replaced without disturbing themo other springs. To remove a spring from the rail 1 after the respective pin 19 has been withdrawn, it is shifted into the position shown in dotted outline in Fig. 7, and is then pulled outwardly between the two fixed pins 18. A suliicient number of springs 17 are used to insurecontact of the stenoi1s4 and cards 5 with the rear rail 13. As shown in Fig. 1, two springs 17 are arranged adjacent the selector mechanism so as to firmly 300 hold the stencil which is being actedupon by the selector pins 11.

Located between the springs 17, are filler blocks 20, to which the guide plates 16 are rigidly secured by screws 21 or other suitable fastening means. The end block 20, adjacent the hopper 3, is recessed at its outer edge to form a shoulder 22, which takes the place of one of the pins '18 for v In operation, the stencils an index cards are moved in a step by step motion along 7 the guideway 6 so as to be brought insuccession to a position directly below the retaining the end of the sprin 17. v no selector pins 11. During the movementofau the stencils and cards through the guidewly 6,'tlieir' outer edges engage the bow springs 17, which are thereby placed under tension, as shown in Figs. 8"and'9, for urgi "the stencils and cards against the rear ra Although but one specific embod'nnntof this invention has been herein shown and described it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted; without depart-$35125 from the spirit of this invention as do by the following claims. 4

I claim:

LA .device of the class described comprising a guideway for receiving a town! 139:

cards arranged edge to edge and movable through a predetermined straight path, one of the lateral edges of said guideway having a resilient part in position to directly engage the cards for urging them against the opposite lateral edge thereof during their travel along said guideway.

2. A device of the class described comprising a guideway having substantially parallel lateral edges between which cards of various widths are movable edge to edge through a predetermined straight path, and a spring mounted on said guideway and projecting inwardly from one of said lateral edges into position to directly engage the cards for urging them against the opposite lateral edge during their travel along said guideway.

3. A device of the class described comprising a guideway having a pair of substantially parallel rails for receiving cards movable edge to edge through a predetermined straight path, and a plurality of separate and detachable bow springs projecting inwardly from one of said rails into position to directly engage the cards for urging them against the opposite rail.

4. A device of the class described comprising a guideway having a pair of substantially parallel rails for receiving cards, one of said rails having an opening extending transversely therethrough, and a resilient element mounted in said opening and projecting beyond the inner edge of said one rail so as to be adapted to engage the cards for urging them against the opposite rail.

5. A device of the class described comprising a guideway having a pair of substantially parallel rails for receiving carols, one of said rails having an opening extending transversely therethrough, a spring arranged in said opening and projecting inwardly beyond the inner edge of said one rail for engagement with the cards to urge them against the opposite rail, and means detachably securing said spring to said one rail, said spring being adapted to be withdrawn through the outer end of said opening upon the release of said means.

6. A device of the class described comprising a guideway having a pair of substantially parallel rails for receiving cards, one of said rails having an opening extending transversely therethrough, a bow spring arranged in said opening with a portion thereof projecting inwardly into position to engage the cards for urging them against the opposite rail, retaining parts on said one rail coacting with the ends of said spring, and a removable pin arranged in said opening and located within the bight of said bow sprling for locking said spring to said one ra1 Signed at Chicago this 26th day of Sept, 1924.

PAUL A. GOLLNIOK. 

